5 Tips To Winterize Your Home

1. Tune-up the heating system

 

As you probably know from the previous winters, approximately 30% of the household expenses during the cold season stem from the heating system. On a side note, based on the region you live in and the resource you utilize for heating - mainly electricity, gas and oil - this expenditure could easily double. Therefore, it is highly advisable to test their functionality, check for faulty devices, change filter systems and perform any other maintenance tasks to ensure they are in top working condition.

 

2. Check the insulation on the ductwork

 

Without properly insulating the ductwork that runs all across your house, you risk wasting about 60% of the heated air by trying to maintain a comfortable temperature indoors. If you're tired of wasting so much money, then it would be a good idea to insulate the ducts, particularly in the cold areas of one's house such as the basement, attic or crawlspaces. In case you observe pinches and gasps, then utilize a metal backed tape to fix them. Even though regular duct tape can do the trick in most cases, it won't be as efficient if you have an older ductwork. Don't forget to wrap up the pipes that run outside your house as well.

 

3. Button up the home windows

 

Ideally, winterizing the windows would imply replacing the current home windows with resilient storm house windows as their extra layer of protection works great on keeping the warmth inside the house. However, if you can't afford to spend money on new home windows, there is still a viable solution for your personal situation, namely insulated blinds. While many homeowners don't give them too much credit, in reality the insulated blinds have the potential of doubling or even tripling a window's efficiency level.

 

4. Block the air leaks

 

Did you know that air infiltration is the number one reason for the low temperatures at your residence? However, air leaks are simple to handle as all you need to do is walk around with a smoke stick to  discover and block them. Getting door sweepers and caulking the doors and home windows is usually an easy trick to prevent cold air from making its way into your house.

 

5. A programmable thermostat would really come in handy

 

Since you want to keep the heating bill from eating into your bank account too much, it would be wise to spend money on a programmable thermostat that will turn the heating system on and off according to the desired interior temperature.